章 44: Denatus

Denatus.

This was a meeting held only once every three months in the Labyrinth City, Orario.

Due to the participants being gods, this meeting was revered by the world as Denatus. In reality, it was just a gathering for various gods to alleviate boredom and seek entertainment.

Originally, it was merely a gathering of idle gods chatting about trivial matters to pass the time. As more gods joined, the meeting grew in scale.

Over time, the nature of the gathering changed, and it became a platform for various gods to share the latest information from the lower world, exchange opinions on operating familia, and even make resolutions that could impact the entire Orario in cooperation with the Guild.

Thanks to this, whether good or bad, any matter discussed and resolved in Denatus influenced the entire adventurer community and the entire Orario.

The reason for Loki's bad mood lies here.

After all, nobody knew better than her that in such grandiloquent occasions for eloquence, a god who was more capricious and eager for entertainment and excitement than anyone else would start unpredictable topics.

Just like at this moment.

"Don't be too harsh, Loki."

"C'mon, we just wanna know about that rookie in your familia."

"Haven't the kids been spreading rumors lately?"

"Did your child really go from Level 1 to Level 4 in just over a month?"

"What method did he use?"

"Spill the beans!"

"That's right, that's right!"

Various gods had been anticipating this moment for a long time. Though seated in their respective seats without getting up, their gazes simultaneously converged on Loki's body. They wore expressions of excitement so intense that, on a spiritual level, they surrounded her.

Watching these gods reveling in what seemed like a newfound amusement, Loki visibly wore an unpleasant expression.

With a child in her own familia making such incredible progress, she was naturally both proud and happy.

If it were a different occasion, she wouldn't mind having a few drinks and then boastfully praising Riezel as the darling of the world and the hero of fate, making others envy and admire.

But here, if she did that, it would only backfire.

These so-called gods, who thirst for the unknown and entertainment, would undoubtedly not mind doing something she least wanted to see when she was at her proudest.

Gods were creatures like that.

Even a passing thought that arises from a moment's whim could lead to action, disrupting the entire Orario both spiritually and physically.

Therefore, Loki's mood was not only very bad but her expression also didn't look good.

"Why? Isn't it normal for my kid to hit it big?" Loki, giving a menacing look, scanned every god and muttered in a deep tone. "Are you planning some sneaky moves behind my back? Alright then! If you're itching for trouble and death, just bring it on!"

The notorious and violent side of the infamous evil goddess Loki made many of the excited and muddled-headed gods present shudder, quickly averting their gazes.

She was Loki, the goddess of one of the strongest familias in Orario.

If they really upset her, once Loki Familia starts trouble, even some major familias would inevitably suffer damages and may even be expelled from Orario.

Gods couldn't use 'Arcanum' in the lower world, but the stronger the familia, the more experts within, and the larger the influence. If it came to conflicts or even wars between familias, few familias in Orario could match Loki Familia.

Therefore, many gods felt a bit intimidated by Loki. Some gods started to gaze elsewhere and cursed inside their hearts, no longer pressing for answers. Of course, some gods were completely unafraid of her.

"Don't be so angry, Loki. This is a rare meeting."

A voice as melodious as silver bells suddenly echoed in the hall, making various gods reveal intoxicated expressions one after another.

Especially the male gods, each sporting an enamored and foolish look.

However, when Loki heard that voice, her heart sank. She knew the most troublesome character had just entered.

Seated across from her, seemingly in a standoff, was the unmistakably prestigious Goddess of Beauty, Freya.

"Freya, huh?" Loki had this unpleasant look. "Why would a nympho like you even show up here? Ain't you busy with your horny pets?"

At Loki's insult, Freya only smiled, making the air in the entire hall seem sweeter.

"It's been too long... I felt a sudden urge to drop by and see what was happening." Freya said with a smile. "Of course, I'm also a bit curious about that rookie of yours who's making quite a buzz."

"Thanks but no thanks!" Loki replied ungraciously. "Can't the pets you kept satisfy you?"

Despite Loki's reproach and insult, Freya seemed unfazed.

"It seems you're quite protective of that child..." Freya said with a smile as bright as flowers. "How about introducing him to me?"

"Tch!" Loki blatantly clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Loki and Freya were old acquaintances. Back in heaven before various gods descended to the lower world, the two had dealings with each other.

However, saying their relationship was good was difficult.

They had cooperated before, appearing close in front of others. They had also been enemies, engaging in a serious battle. Now, both of them had familias regarded as the strongest in Orario—both rivals and enemies.

In this situation, Loki knew what the goddess named Freya was up to. Without a doubt, she had her eyes on Riezel. Although not thoroughly, once this nympho goddess laid eyes on him, things could spiral out of control.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Freya?" Loki, rarely revealing her nature as an evil goddess, showed a ferocious expression.

"..."

Now, the atmosphere in the entire hall seemed to freeze, becoming incredibly oppressive.

Various gods instantly closed their mouths. One after another, they lowered their heads, cold sweats breaking out on their foreheads. Especially when they saw Freya's increasingly intense smile, their hearts pounded.

This was a genuine conflict of gods.

'Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight...'

In such an exciting situation, several gods couldn't help but think like that. This was truly a case of enjoying the show without worrying about the consequences.

However, where there were gods, fearing that the world wouldn't be in chaos, there were gods who found such conflicts annoying.

"Alright, Loki, Freya, this is not the place for your quarrel. Calm down."

A goddess spoke with a feeble voice, sitting not far from Loki. She had flaming red hair and a vibrant red dress.

The red-haired goddess's beauty was no less than Loki's, and it was comparable even to Freya as the Goddess of Beauty. However, an eyepatch over her right eye somewhat diminished her overall aesthetic.

The one-eyed, red-haired goddess's abrupt interruption eased the tension between Loki and Freya.

"Since even Hephaestus had said so, I guessed I'd have to yield." Freya shrugged her fragrant shoulders. "I didn't want my children to miss out on the best equipment in the future."

The red-haired goddess was none other than Hephaestus. The goddess of the strongest blacksmith familia in Orario and the legendary Goddess of Smith.

"What, so you're here..." Loki grinned at Hephaestus. "I heard you're taking care of that poor runt. I thought you wouldn't show up."

"Don't say that..." Hephaestus sighed. "I'm even wondering if it would have been better not to help her back then."

"It's not too late to do that now, y'know~" Loki smirked. "Just kick that poor runt out of your home and let her fend for herself, yeah?"

Surprisingly, Hephaestus was considering it.

Not that she was heartless, but the lifestyle of the so-called 'poor runt' from Loki's mouth had fallen to a point where she couldn't bear it. The resolute and hardworking Goddess of Smith wouldn't be bothered to this extent otherwise.

Should she just throw her friend out for real?

Hephaestus began to seriously contemplate the idea.

Watching this unfold, Loki's eyes were squinting more as if she were thinking of some underhanded schemes.

Unfortunately, there was a more important matter she needed to do.

Loki was fully aware that she would be surrounded and forced to endure all her displeasure as she attended this meeting, all for the sake of this matter.

"Looks like you guys don't have any other matters going on!" Loki slapped the table. "Since that's the case, let's just start awarding aliases to the kids who've leveled up."

Yes, awarding alias.

This was one of the segments of the Denatus, a grand event in the lower world.

Anyone who leveled up and became a high-class adventurer, whether they were the lowest Level 2 or the highest Level 7, would have their name mentioned here, and bestowed with a unique alias by various gods.

For example, Ais, her alias was 'Sword Princess'.

For example, Lefiya, her alias was 'Thousand Elf'.

Originally, Riezel was supposed to receive an alias when he reached Level 2. However, the previous Denatus had already occurred before he leveled up to Level 2, so it was temporarily put on hold.

Until today, over a month later, as Riezel had already reached Level 4, the Denatus was officially convened again. It must be said, this was the first time in history.

Various gods couldn't help but feel emotional as they thought of Riezel.

Back then, Loki Familia's Sword Princess, at the age of 8, reached Level 2 in just a year. All the gods at that time found it unbelievable.

Her growth speed was already quite bizarre. Forget about Orario, it even shocked the entire world. But now, there was another child with even more bizarre growth.

If Riezel weren't from Loki Familia, most gods might have recklessly rushed to get him, no matter what.

At this moment, the goddess of the said child acted like a guard dog, baring her teeth at everyone.

"Let me make it clear, if anyone dares to come up with a messy alias for my kid, don't blame me for getting pissed." Loki threatened, making all the gods present quickly straighten their faces and think seriously.

Only Freya, looking at Loki's ferocious appearance, slowly curled her lips.

Her expression was beautiful yet chilling.